A compelling intellectual biography of Stalin told through his personal library

In this engaging life of the twentieth century's most self-consciously learned dictator, Geoffrey Roberts explores the books Stalin read, how he read them, and what they taught him. Stalin firmly believed in the transformative potential of words and his voracious appetite for reading guided him throughout his years. A biography as well as an intellectual portrait, this book explores all aspects of Stalin's tumultuous life and politics.

Stalin, an avid reader from an early age, amassed a surprisingly diverse personal collection of thousands of books, many of which he marked and annotated revealing his intimate thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. Based on his wide-ranging research in Russian archives, Roberts tells the story of the creation, fragmentation, and resurrection of Stalin's personal library. As a true believer in communist ideology, Stalin was a fanatical idealist who hated his enemies -- the bourgeoisie, kulaks, capitalists, imperialists, reactionaries, counter-revolutionaries, traitors -- but detested their ideas even more.

• We started tracking this book on February 26, 2022.
• This book was £17.09 when we started tracking it.
• The price of this book has changed 21 times in the past 1,213 days.
• The current price of this book is £11.39 last checked 7 hours ago.
• The lowest price to date was £11.39 last reached on June 11, 2025.
• This book has been £11.39 one time since we started tracking it.
• The highest price to date was £21.99 last reached on July 1, 2024.
• This book has been £21.99 2 times since we started tracking it.
• This book is currently at its lowest price since we started tracking it.

• Biography & True AccountsLeaders & Notable PeoplePresidents & Heads of State

• Text-to-Speech: Disabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 410 Pages
• File Size: 110 KB